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December 31, 2009 at
12:39 PM

Over the next four days, we’ll be publishing a list of the top forty Red Sox prospects of the last decade. We’re only including players who were original Red Sox signees, and only players who played in Boston's minor league system this decade as prospects (not on rehab assignments). The rankings will be based on the player’s projected career major league contributions. As many of these players are already well into their major league careers at this point and others have yet to even debut in the Majors, it’s a tricky list to make, but we thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion. I’m sure that there will be significant disagreements, but that’s the point. In the first installment, we bring you prospects 31 through 40. We’ll publish numbers 21-30 on Friday, 11-20 on Saturday, and 1-10 on Sunday. I’ve also set up a discussion thread in the SoxProspects Forum for users to discuss the rankings. Happy New Year everybody!

40.Che-Hsuan Lin is one of many promising outfielders presently in the Sox system. Signed as an international free agent in June 2007, Lin has flashed a plus plus arm together with plus speed, range, and glove skills in center field. He also demonstrated improved plate patience in 2009. However, he hasn’t shown a whole lot of power to this point and has yet to hit above .264 in the minors. If he can add a little bit of power and improve his contact rates, Lin is somebody to keep an eye on in the coming years. Even if he continues with his present offensive trends, Lin will make an excellent utility outfielder at the major league level. He'll likely start the 2010 season with Double-A Portland.

39. Wil Ledezma signed with the Sox as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 1998, putting up lackluster numbers in the system through 2002. Detroit selected the lefthander in the Rule 5 Draft in 2002, where he stuck for the 2003 season, remaining with the Tigers into the 2007 season. He then bounced around with five different organizations from mid-2007 through the end of the 2009 season. Ultimately, he went 15-22 with a 5.17 ERA in 160 games over the course of the decade. He recently signed a minor league deal with Pittsburgh for the 2010 season with an invitation to spring training.

38. Luis Exposito has shown a lot of promise in four years in the organization, leading to his ranking as the eleventh best Red Sox prospect at decade’s end. Selected as a draft-and-follow in the thirty-first round of the 2005 draft, Exposito signed a pro deal with the Sox just prior to the 2006 draft. In his minor league career thus far, he has hit .280/.326/.439 and has demonstrated excellent offensive and defensive potential. With some slight refinements to his swing and his everyday defensive approach, Exposito has the makings of a major league starter behind the plate.

37. Casey Fossum, a 1999 first-rounder, started 69 games in the Sox system between 2000 and 2003, highlighted by a 2002 campaign in Double-A Trenton where he put up a 2.83 ERA and struck out 130 batters in 117.2 innings over 20 starts. He was sent to Arizona with three other players in the Curt Schilling trade in November 2003. Over nine major league seasons with five major league clubs, the lefthander has gone 40-53 with a 5.45 ERA and 607 strikeouts in 786 innings. He recently signed a one-year deal to play for Hanshin of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.

36. Matt Murton was drafted by Boston in the supplemental first round of the 2003 draft out of Georgia Tech. He spent just two seasons in the Red Sox system, including a 2004 stint with High-A Sarasota in which he hit .301/.372/.452. He was traded to the Cubs in 2004 in the Nomar Garciparra trade, which also brought Boston Orlando Cabrera from Montréal and Doug Mientkiewicz from Minnesota. In five major league seasons with Chicago, Oakland, and Colorado, Murton hit .286/.352/.436, often in a utility outfielder role. He will join Fossum to play for the Hanshin Tigers in 2010.

35.Craig Hansen was universally considered the player closest to the major leagues in the 2005 draft, a primary reason why the Red Sox selected him twenty-sixth overall in the first round that year. While he was often brilliant in the minor leagues, Hansen struggled when given major league opportunities with Boston, putting up a 6.15 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP in 74 relief outings. He was sent to Pittsburgh with Brandon Moss in the Manny Ramirez-Jason Bay deal in July 2008, and continued his mediocrity with the Pirates after the trade. Hansen was recently diagnosed with Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, placing his career at risk. If he can overcome the illness and return to the form he demonstrated earlier in his professional career, Hansen still has a lot of promise as a major league reliever.

34. Brandon Moss was drafted in the eighth round in 2002 out of Loganville High School in Georgia. He demonstrated excellent offensive tools during his climb up the organizational ladder from the Gulf Coast League to Pawtucket. After putting up a .917 OPS for the Low-A Augusta GreenJackets in 2004, Moss peaked as the number two prospect in the system that off-season. The outfielder was ultimately traded with Hansen to Pittsburgh in the Ramirez-Bay deal, and has since put up subpar numbers in two season as a reserve for the Pirates. He will battle for a starting spot in Pittsburgh’s outfield in 2010, but more than likely will be utilized as a fourth outfielder.

33. Michael Bowden is presently the tenth ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization. After being drafted in the supplemental first round in 2005, Bowden pitched in 106 minor league games in the Sox system over the course of the decade, going 33-25 with a 3.15 ERA, striking out 477 batters in 532 innings. He’s been inconsistent in nine games with the big league club, putting up an 8.14 ERA early in his major league career. Look for Bowden to start 2010 in Pawtucket’s rotation, with a chance to get some work out of the bullpen or as a spot starter for Boston throughout the course of the season. He presently projects as a solid back-of-the-rotation starter, but could also be used as a late-inning bullpen arm.

32. Shea Hillenbrand, a tenth-round pick from the 1996 draft, concluded his rise through the Sox system in 2000 with Trenton, hitting .323/.347/.463. After two-and-a-half seasons with the big club, Hillenbrand was traded to Arizona for Byung-Hyun Kim in May 2003. In 943 games over seven major league seasons, the third baseman put up a .284 average with 108 home runs and 490 RBI. He last played in the major leagues in 2007, and has since been in and out of the independent leagues.

31.Stolmy Pimentel was signed as an international free agent in July 2006, and has impressed at three levels of the Red Sox system, winning the Red Sox Latin Program Pitcher of the Year in 2007 and being named a New York-Penn League All Star in 2008. We presently rank him as the ninth best prospect in the system. He’ll likely start the 2010 season near the top of Salem’s rotation, and he presently projects to be a candidate for Boston's rotation by 2012.

December 30, 2009 at
1:08 PM

Jeff Bailey, a member of the Red Sox organization for the past six seasons, has signed as a minor league free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter had a very successful 2008 campaign with Pawtucket when he was named the International League MVP, in addition to being named the SoxProspects.com Minor League Player of the Week three times. Bailey hit .301/.405/.562 that season with 25 home runs and 75 RBI.

Bailey was originally selected by Florida in the second round of the 1997 draft, signing with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in 2003. In three short major league stints with Boston, Bailey hit .228/.340/.434 in 56 games. His minor league career has spanned thirteen seasons between the Marlins, Expos and Red Sox organizations, during which time he has complied a .268/.368/.454 line with 164 home runs and 668 RBI in 1174 games played.

at
9:47 AM

The Red Sox have announced that they have extended the player development contract with the Lowell Spinners, the team's short season Single-A affiliate in the New York Penn league, through the 2012 season. The extension comes after the contract was last extended through the 2010 season at the beginning of the 2008 campaign.

The Spinners have been a part of the Red Sox family since 1996 when they moved from Elmira. The Elmira team had previously served as a Red Sox affiliate from 1973-1992. The team is known for their long sellout streak, which currently stands at 381 games, dating back to August 2, 1999. Due to the team's success, the 2011 NY Penn League All Star game will be hosted by the Spinners.

December 22, 2009 at
3:10 PM

According to Baseball America, the Red Sox have signed free agent infielder Nate Spears to a minor league deal. Spears, a former fifth-round pick of the Orioles in 2003, was dealt to the Cubs in 2006 as part of the deal that brought Corey Patterson to Baltimore. He spent last season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, hitting .253/.319/.345 with 20 doubles, 4 triples, and 2 home runs in 368 at-bats. The 24-year-old got off to a particularly brutal start in 2009, hitting just .194 in April and May, but recovered to post a .296 batting average the rest of the way. Spears enjoyed a strong 2008 season as well, hitting .299/.394/.433 while splitting time between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.

A versatile left-handed hitter, Spears saw significant time at third base, second base, and shortstop for the Cubs in 2009, but he has spent most of his career at second base. In 2,450 minor league at-bats spanning parts of seven seasons, Spears owns a career line of .276/.358/.389.

December 21, 2009 at
10:38 PM

In our December podcast, we discuss Boston's off-season transactions, the fall and winter league performances, and our valuations of Red Sox prospects. The panel is made up of Mike Andrews, Chris Mellen, Chris Hatfield, and Ian Theodoridis.

Lovullo joins Boston after serving as the manager of the Indians' Triple-A Buffalo Bisons from 2006-2009. As a coach in the Cleveland organization since 2002, he worked his way through the system and won back-to-back manager of the year awards with High-A Kinston and Double-A Akron in 2004 and 2005.

Perry had been the Chicago Cubs hitting coach from 2007 up until June of last season. Over the course of his coaching career he has also served as hitting coach for the Mariners, Pirates and Athletics. He rejoins Pawtucket where he served as hitting coach during the 1998 season.

Lombard begins his coaching career after a sixteen-year professional career in which he played for the Braves, Tigers, Rays, Red Sox, Nationals, Marlins, Dodgers and Indians organizations.

Boles, previously the manager of the Greenville, moves to Salem. McMillion will be making his managerial debut in 2010 after serving as Greenville's hitting coach last season.

Crabbe returns to the role of manager in Lowell, a position he previously held in 2006, when he guided the team to a 39-36 record.

December 16, 2009 at
10:12 AM

The Red Sox were busy bolstering their rotation and adding a key piece to their outfield as they signedJohn Lackey and Mike Cameron this week. The team will be holding two separate press conferences today to introduce the newest additions, with Cameron being introduced at 11:30 a.m. ET, followed by Lackey at 1:30 p.m.

Lackey, winner of game 7 of the 2002 World Series as a rookie for the Angels, has signed a five-year contract worth a reported $82.5 million. He has averaged almost 14 wins per season for the past five seasons and has pitched well in thirteen postseason games. For his career, Lackey is 102-71 with a 3.81 ERA in 234 games, all with the Angels. Last season, Lackey went 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 27 starts.

Cameron, a three-time Gold Glove winner (2001, 2003, 2006), has signed a two-year, $15.5 million deal. Last season with the Brewers, he hit .250 with 24 home runs and 70 RBI. The defensive position Cameron will primarily play this upcoming season has not yet been determined. In fifteen Major League seasons, Cameron has compiled a .250 average with 265 homers, 926 RBIs and a .340 on-base percentage playing for the White Sox, Reds, Mariners, Mets, Padres and Brewers.

The signing of Lackey will give the Angels Boston's first-round pick (#29), plus a supplemental first-round pick. The compensation for the Blue Jay's loss of Marco Scuatro will now tentatively become Boston's second-round selection (#67), in addition to a supplemental first-round selection.

Update: Cameron's contract breaks down as follows per Alex Speier of WEEI: Will receive a $1 million signing bonus and $7.25 million salaries in each of the next two years. Limited no-trade protection with the right to veto trades to three teams.

Sent Chris Province to Minnesota to complete an earlier trade for Boof Bonser.

Signed Bonser to a one-year, $650,000 deal, avoiding arbitration with the big right-hander.

Baseball America first reported some of these transactions, and also reported Saturday that former Sox minor-leaguers Enrique Gonzalez and Travis Denker have signed minor leagues deals with Detroit and Seattle, respectively. Additionally, our sources indicate that Boston recently released pitcher Miguel Marquez, who had been selected from Seattle in the Triple-A phase of the 2008 Rule 5 Draft. Marquez missed the entire 2009 season with an injury and never made an appearance in the Sox system.

December 11, 2009 at
1:32 PM

The annual Red Sox Rookie Development Program is set to take place in early January at Boston College. The development program is a ten day camp that allows Red Sox coaches to prepare the system's MLB-ready prospects for life in the big leagues. Players are chosen for the program because the organization feels that they will be likely to contribute at the Major League level within the next twelve to eighteen months. The players are tutored on the physical and mental aspects of playing in the Majors, with a particular focus on the challenges of playing in Boston.

Many young Red Sox who have participated in the past have spoken highly of the program, including Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie,Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, and Dustin Pedroia. Included in the program are sessions on dealing with the media, money management, alcohol, drugs, umpire relations, and other obstacles that players may face upon reaching the major leagues. Days are broken up into two sessions, with mornings spent on the field and afternoons spent in the classroom. The program also allows the up-and-coming players to get to know each other, as some of the participants may have played at different levels in the Sox system in the previous year.

In addition, according to SoxProspects.com sources, Mark Wagner, Aaron Bates, and Dustin Richardson will be attending the MLB Rookie Development Program in Washington D.C. this January. This program is a four-day crash course for prospects on life in the Major Leagues. For more information on participants in previous programs, check out the Sox Prospects Wiki.

December 10, 2009 at
9:51 AM

The Red Sox have acquired pitcher Boof Bonser from the Minnesota Twins, according to Bonser's agent Larry Reynolds. The Twins will receive a player to be named later or cash considerations in exchange for the big right-hander, who missed all of 2009 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in February.

Bonser, 28, a first round selection of the San Francisco Giants in the 2000 amateur draft, had previously been designated for assignment by the Twins on December 8. In three Major League seasons, Bonser is 18-25 with a 5.12 ERA in 96 games, including 60 starts, with 317 strikeouts in 391.2 innings pitched. Across eight minor league seasons, he has compiled a 3.63 ERA with 917 strikeouts in 886.2 innings pitched.

Bonser is perhaps best known for being traded, with Francisco Liriano and Joe Nathan, to Minnesota in 2003 for catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

at
9:13 AM

A pair of Sox prospects have been selected in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Jorge Jimenezwas selected by the Houston Astros and Armando Zerpa was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays. Jimenez will reportedly head from Houston to the Florida Marlins as the player to be named later in a trade for reliever Matt Lindstrom.

Jimenez (pictured), originally selected in the fifteenth round of the 2006 draft, spent the entire 2009 season with the Portland Sea Dogs, hitting .289 with 13 home runs and 87 RBI. A SoxProspects.com All-Star at third base in each of the past three seasons, Jimenez was also named a California League All-Star in 2008 while with Lancaster and an Eastern League All-Star in 2009. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter was Portland's Most Valuable Player in 2009 as well, and has a career minor league line of .298/.377/.423 in 367 games played, all in the Red Sox organization.

Zerpa, signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2004, split the 2009 season between Greenville and Salem, putting up a 1.20 ERA in 22 games with Greenville while striking out more than a batter per inning. His efforts for the Drive in 2009 earned him a South Atlantic League All-Star nod. With Salem, Zerpa put up a 4.95 ERA in 16 games. The 22-year-old southpaw holds a 3.12 career ERA in 184.1 innings pitched over the last five seasons.

The lineup includes: Red Sox outfielders Josh Reddick and Jeremy Hermida, pitcher Manny Delcarmen, prospect Ryan Westmoreland (ranked as the #2 Red Sox prospect by SoxProspects.com), 2009 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year Ryan Kalish, and 2009 Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year Casey Kelly. Former Red Sox great and 2004 World Series champion TrotNixon will also be taking part in the event.

Tickets are presently on sale at www.jimmyfund.org/new-stars. Two types of tickets are available: (1) an MVP ticket at $250, which includes an official MLB jersey, plus one of the first thirty spots in line; and (2) regular admission tickets at $150 each. All ticket holders can bring one guest, but only the ticket holder may receive autographs. A buffet lunch will be served and sports memorabilia will be on sale. In addition, there will be an opportunity drawing, a silent auction, and bowling to help strike out cancer.

New Stars for Young Stars is hosted by the Jimmy Fund Council of Greater Boston and has quickly become a popular event for Red Sox fans, already having raised nearly $100,000 since its inception in 2006.

Founded in 1948, the Jimmy Fund is an official charity of the Boston Red Sox. It supports the fight against cancer at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which is a leading cancer research and care center for adults and children, and a National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer center. For more information and to buy tickets, go to www.jimmyfund.org/new-stars or call Amy Powers at 617-632-3613.

December 8, 2009 at
9:39 PM

According to Rob Bradford of WEEI, the Red Soxhave claimed pitcher Ramon A. Ramirez off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Ramirez was originally claimed off waivers by the Rays earlier this offseason from the Cincinnati Reds. The Red Sox will find out Wednesday if they have been awarded the claim placed on Ramirez.

In parts of two major league seasons with the Reds, the 27-year-old appeared in 16 games and posted a 2.97 ERA in 39.1 innings pitched. Working primarily as a starter in the Reds minor league system, he compiled a 35-36 record with a 3.91 ERA in 645.1 innings pitched averaging 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Update: The Red Sox have been awarded the claim on Ramirez, he is now an official member of the team.

December 7, 2009 at
9:43 PM

According to Ken Rosenthal on Twitter, the Red Sox have signed reliever Fabio Castro. The 25 year old Castro was originally signed by the Chicago White Sox in 2001 as an undrafted free agent. After three years in the White Sox system, he was the first overall selection by the Kansas City Royals in the 2005 Rule V Draft. He was then immediately traded to the Texas Rangers for Esteban German. Castro made his major league debut with the Rangers in 2006 before being traded once again to the Philadelphia Phillies for Daniel Haigwood. In 16 games out of the Phillies bullpen in 2006, he posted a 1.54 ERA in 16 games. He remained a part of the Phillies organization for all of 2007 and 2008, only making 10 appearances with the club in 2007. Castro was sent packing once again in the 2009 offseason, this time to the Toronto Blue Jays, to complete an earlier trade for Matt Stairs.

Castro has posted a 3.30 ERA in 30 games at the major league level in 43.2 innings across two seasons. In seven season in the minors, he has compiled a 3.52 ERA in 214 games (61 starts) striking out 499 batters across 572.1 innings.

at
4:54 PM

According to numerous sources, Theo Epstein announced at a press conference this afternoon that Casey Kelly has elected to pitch full time in 2010. Epstein indicated that he received the call just a few days ago, following a meeting with Kelly in Fort Myers last week. At that meeting, the parties discussed whether Kelly would resume his career as a full time pitcher or shortstop in 2010, a question that has been on everyone's mind since Kelly signed with the Sox as a two-way player in August 2008 and then split time at both positions in 2009. While the Sox brass undoubtedly preferred Kelly choose to continue his career on the mound, they ultimately left the decision to Kelly himself. Epstein expressed a great deal of excitement about Kelly's ultimate decision. In terms of what's next, Kelly will attend the Red Sox Rookie Development Program this January and will be invited to big league camp this spring. According to the Sox general manager, Kelly should see time in the "high minors" in 2010 and could work his way onto the major league radar in the next year or two. The question is whether the 20-year-old pitcher will start the 2010 season in High-A Salem or in Double-A Portland. Ultimately, that may not be decided until March.

at
4:34 PM

As previously reported by Mike Andrews in the SoxProsects Forum in November, today Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe confirmed that lefthander Kason Gabbardhas re-signed with the Red Sox. Gabbard, originally drafted in 2000 by the Red Sox, was an effective member of the Major League squad in 2007. He made seven starts and posted a 4-0 record with a 3.73 ERA before being traded to the Rangers as part of a package for Eric Gagne. Gabbard was re-acquired by Boston early last season and pitched for Lowell and Portland.

at
12:26 PM

According to Ken Rosenthalon Twitter, the Red Sox have signed reliever Scott Atchison to a one year deal with club options for 2011 and 2012. The 33-year-old right-hander had spent the previous two seasons in Japan with the Hanshin Tigers.

Atchison was originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the forty-ninth round of the 1998 Draft. He spent seven years in the Seattle organization, primarily in the minor leagues, only making 31 appearances out of the bullpen for the Mariners in short stints in 2004 and 2005. He signed with the San Francisco Giants in 2007, making 22 appearances out of the bullpen with a 4.11 ERA. Atchison was then signed by the Boston Red Sox to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training in 2008 before being sold to Hanshin. Last season with Hanshin, Atchison posted a 1.70 ERA in 75 games across 90.0 innings, with 81 strikeouts against 20 walks.

In parts of three Major League seasons, Atchison has posted a 4.10 ERA with a 2-3 record over 68.0 innings in 53 appearances, with 70 strikeouts against 25 walks. He has a career 3.83 ERA with 658 strikeouts in 771.1 minor league innings spanning parts of nine seasons.

Update: According to Alex Speier of WEEI, Atchison's deal is non-guaranteed, and pays him $420,000 in 2010 with two team options that would pay him $440,000 in 2011 and $600,000 in 2012 if exercised. Atchison reportedly has one minor league option year remaining, and he will be given the chance to earn a Major League bullpen role in spring training.

December 4, 2009 at
4:22 AM

According to multiple sources, the Red Sox are set to announce the signing of Marco Scutaro to a two-year pact with an option for a third year. ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that the deal will pay Scutaro a $1 million signing bonus, $5 million in 2010, and $5 million in 2011. The 2012 option is a mutual one that will pay the Venezuelan infielder $6 million if the club picks it up, and $3 million if Scutaro picks it up plus a $1.5 million buyout. The deal is pending the results of a physical.

Scutaro, originally signed as an international free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 1994, spent seven years in the minors between the Indians, Brewers and Mets organizations before making his major league debut in 2002. In eight major league seasons between the Mets, Athletics, and Blue Jays, he has posted a career line of .265/.337/.384.

Scutaro is coming off of a career year with the Blue Jays in which he had a career high 574 at-bats and hit .282/.379/.409 with 12 home runs and 60 RBI. Scutaro has also played in both World Baseball Classics, appearing for Italy in 2006 and Venezuela in 2009. Due to Scutaro's Type-A free agent status, the Red Sox will surrender draft pick compensation to Toronto.

December 2, 2009 at
7:38 PM

According to Peter Gammons, Red Sox Director of Amateur Scouting Jason McLeod is heading to his hometown of San Diego to join the Padres organization as an asistant general manager. McLeod, who has been Boston's head of amateur scouting since December 2005, joins the recently departed Jed Hoyer, who took over as the Padres' general manager last month. More information to follow.

Deceber 3 update: WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that Boston will fill McLeod's spot aith an internal candidate. Bradford also indicates that one candidate is 31-year-old Assistant Scouting Director Amiel Sawdaye. Sawdaye has been the ASD since McLeod took the head job in 2005.